Action figure toy structure



Feb. 24, 1959 E. F. CONNELL ACTION FIGURE TOY STRUCTURE Filed April 18, 1956 FIG.

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2,874,513 ACTION FIGURE TOY STRUCTURE Edward F. Connell, Northampton, Mass. Application April 18, 1956, Serial No. 579,106

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-119) This invention relates to a motion toy of the crank or motor driven type.

More particularly, the invention proposes the construction of an improved bank motion toy in which a figure will be moved along a predetermined path by a conveyor and at the same time will tip or incline first to one side and then to the other to simulate movement of an ice skater or vehicle rider or driver in making banking turns.

As a further object, the invention proposes forming the toy with a plurality of spaced figures movable simultaneously by a motor or crank so that one figure may be banking and turning in one direction while another figure banks and turns in another direction.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away and in section, of a toy constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the toy in the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 has a base 15 with a central opening 16.

Rotatably mounted on the base 15 is a disk or endless conveyor 17 having a central shaft opening 18. A cylindrical bearing 19 has a lower flange 20 secured to the base 15 around the base opening 16 as by screws 21. An upper flange 22 on bearing 19 rotatably supports the disk or endless conveyor 17, a cross plate 23 being provided under the lower flange 20 between flange 20 and base 15 and a tubular guide sleeve 24 being disposed inside the bearing 19.

Cross plate 23 has a central bolt opening 25 and the sleeve 24 has an upper flange 26 on which is mounted a platform surface 27 having a central bolt opening 28. A bolt 29 extends through the opening 28 in the platform surface 27, through the sleeve 28 and through the bolt opening 25 in cross plate 23. Bolt 29 has a head 30,disposed against the platform surface 27 and a wing nut 31 on bolt 29 bears against the cross plate 23 to fix the platform surface 27 to the base 15 and hold it supported on flange 26 of sleeve 24 in spaced relation parallel or substantially parallel, to the disk 17.

A conveyor drive shaft 32 for rotating disk 17 is rotatably mounted between the platform surface 27 and base 15 in bearings 33 and 34. A bevel gear 35 on the shaft 32 and a meshing bevel gear 36 on a crank shaft 37 mounted in spaced bearings 38 and 39 provide means for rotating the conveyor drive shaft 32. Also fixed to the conveyor drive shaft 32 is a drive wheel 40 having spaced pins 41 adapted to mesh with teeth 42 in the periphery of the disk 2,8 7 4,5 l 3 ,sanmmr nmg.1.959

Fixed. tolth'ejtijsk;l'l'tafliacsntlb ps iiiheraLtes th .42 and spaced one 'fromanother arehin'ges' 43 and44 having free arms 45 and 46 respectively which are movable toward and away from the disk 17. A pair of laterally inclinable figure supports or rods 47 'and 48 are connected with the disk 17 through the hinges. Rods 47 and 48 have ends 49 and 50 which are fixed to the free arms 45 and 46 of hinges 43 and 44 respectively, and free ends 51 and 52 which extend through a curved guide slot opening 53 in the platform surface 27.

A pair of skating figures 54 and 55 are fixed to the free ends 51 and 52 respectively of the laterally inclinable figure supports or rods 47 and 48.

The fixed ends 49 and 50 of rods 47 and 48 describe a circular path around the tubular guide sleeve 24 as the disk 17 revolves. The curved guide slot opening 53 in the platform surface 27 crosses and recrosses in a winding path the predetermined path of the fixed ends 49 and 50 of the rods 47 and 48 to describe an undulating endless path projected above the disk 17 and intersecting the circular disk path of the fixed ends of the rods at spaced intervals. The pivotal axes of the rods to the disk are tangential of the circular path through which the rods are carried by the disk.

Movement of the disk 17 causes the figure support rods 47 and 48 to travel around the center of the platform surface and the curved guide slot opening causes the free ends of rods 47 and 48 and the figures 54 and 55 to incline first to one side and then to the other. The effect is that the figures lean or defiectfrom side to side on movement of the conveyor 17 simulating banking turns of a skater.

The modification shown in Fig. 4 has a disk or conveyor and a platform 61 supported in spaced relation to the disk 60 in a manner like platform surface 27 and disk 17 described above A stifily flexible figure support or rod 62 has one end 63 fixed to the disk 60 adjacent the periphery of the disk and a free end 64 which extends through a curved guide slot opening 65 in the platform 61. A skating figure 66 is fixed to the free end 64 of the rod 62. The rod 62 is flexible to an extent that the free end 64 of the rod and the figure 66 will be inclined first to one side and then to the other by the curved guide slot opening on movement of the disk 60.

What is claimed is:

l. A motion toy comprising a toy figure, a circular wheel disk turnable on its central axis, a tilting support having an outer end carrying said figure, a hinged connecting member fixed to said wheel at the outer edge thereof and movable thereby in a predetermined path of travel, said hinged connecting member carrying the inner end of said support for swinging movement on its pivot from side to side relative to said path of travel, a platform surface spaced from the plane of the disk having a slotted portion receiving said figure support and defining apath therefor crossing and recrossing the projection of the predetermined path of said hinged connecting member on said surface, said figure support during rotation of said disk alternately bearing against opposite side edges of said slotted portion and swinging laterally from. side to side in alternately tipped angular relation to said platform surface.

2. A motion toy'comprising a toy figure, a circular wheel disk turnable on its central axis, a tilting support comprising a stiffly flexible'rod having an outer end carrying said figure, an inner end connecting means comprising an anchoring seat securing said inner end to said disk at the outer edge thereof and movable by said disk in a predetermined path of travel, a platform surface spaced therefor crossing and recros sing the projection of the predetermined path of said anhored inner end on said surface, said flexible support during movement of. said 'conveyor alternately bearing against. opposite side edges of said slotted portion end heing 'flexed thereby from side 7 4" to side by said side edges for tilting action of said figure with respect to said platform surface.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Varga Jan. 25, 1927 Sprouse Apr. 23, 1957 

